Sealed separable food container



June 12, 1956 w L KE 2,750,064

SEALED SEPARABLE FOOD CONTAINER Filed April 25, 1952 ATTORNEYS.

SEALED SEPARABLE FOGD CONTAINER Houghton W. Clarke, Evanston, 111.,assignor to Mealpack Corporation, Evanston, 11]., a corporation ofIllinois Application April 25, 1952, Serial No. 284,368

Claims. (Cl. 220-4) This invention relates to a sealed, separable foodcontainer, and more particularly to a container device for packing,storing, or transporting and serving, hot meals and also cold meals.

In the preparation and serving of hot meals, particularly in hospitals,plants, factories, trains, airplanes, and in a large number of otherestablishments, it is extremely important that the insulating containersections in which the hot food is stored be readily sealable after thepacking operation and then readily separable when the meal is to beserved, the closure mechanism occupying a minimum of space orobstruction while at the same time providing evidence that the containerhas not been heretofore opened.

An object of the present invention is to provide a structureaccomplishing the above desired results and providing a structure inwhich the hollow sections are locked securely in airtight relation whileeffecting, with the sealing means, a complete air seal about the entirecontainer. A further object is to provide unique sealing means whichbrings the sealing strap ends together in sealing relation while lockingthe container sections together and providing means to indicateunauthorized opening of the container. Other specific objects andadvantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in an illustrative embodiment by the accompanyingdrawing, in which- Figure 1 is a broken side elevational view of asealed container structure embodying my invention, a portion of thecontainer being broken away to show the container in vertical section;Fig. 2, a broken top plan view, with a portion of the clamping structureshown in section; Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing theclamping device in released position; and Fig. 4, an enlargedperspective view of the clamping and strap structure.

In the illustration given, 10 designates a lower hollow body section,and 11 designates an upper hollow body section, the two sections, whenplaced together, as indicated in Fig. 1, providing an innerfood-receiving chamber 12. In the chamber 12 may be placed dishes orother receptacles for hot or cold foods, etc.

Each of the sections 10 and 11 may, if desired, be identical inconstruction. Each section is provided with an annular rib 13 having anouter vertical face 14 and having an inwardly-inclined face 15, as shownbest in the sectioned portion of Fig. 1.

About the container I provide a strap 16, which is preferably formed ofresilient, elastic material. The strap or band 16 may be formed ofrubber. or other resilient ma terial and may, if desired, be reinforcedor otherwise strengthened by the use of plastic, fabric, or othersuitable means.

In the specific illustration given, the band 16 is proinner surfaceabutting the shoulder 14 of the lower rib nited States Patent 0 icetightly sealed relation. If desired, the ends of the band or strap mayhave fiat, vertical meeting surfaces or various types of interlockingsurfaces. I prefer, however, to have the inclined surfaces 20illustrated so that in the clamping of the ends of the resilient straptogether, a slightly sliding movement can be had while still effectingan airtight seal between the meeting ends of the band.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4, the ends of the strap 16 are providedwith clamping members. The clamping means may be of any suitableconstruction. In the illustration given, to one end of the strap 16 issecured a plate 21 having an upwardly and rearwardly-extending hook 22.To the other end of the strap 16 is secured a plate 23 by means of avulcanizing operation or adhesive or other suitable method. Plate 23 isprovided with a bracket 24 having upwardly-extending ears 25, to whichis pivotally secured by a pin 26 a handle member 27. To the handlemember 27 is pivotally secured a draw clamp 28 having an end 29 adaptedto engage the hook 22 of plate 21.

The handle member 27 is provided at its inner side with a bottom plate30, and at the rear of the bottom plate 30 the handle member 27 isprovided with a slot 31. To the bracket 24 is secured a finger 32 whichextends upwardly and rearwardly, as indicated best in Fig. 2. When thehandle is moved to closed position, a disc 33 formed of cardboard orother suitable material and preferably bearing indicia, such as atrade-mark or notice, etc., is inserted below the finger 32 with aportion of the disc extending through the slot 31, as shown best in Fig.2. With this structure, when the handle member 2'7 is swung outwardly toreleased position, the frangible disc 33 is gripped between the finger32 and the inner plate 30, and the disc is cut or marred by the relativemovement between the handle member and the finger so as to indicate thatthe container has been opened.

Operation In the operation of the structure, the food is placed withinthe container formed by the sections 10 and 11, employing dishes orother receptacles which are placed within the chamber 12. The strap 16is then drawn about the ribs 13 of the two container sections. The clamp19 is drawn forwardly over the hook 22 and the handle 27 swung to theposition shown in Fig. 2, the indicator disc 33 being placed inposition, as illustrated. In the clamping operation, the band 16 isdrawn tightly about the container ribs 13 so as to lock them firmly inplace, and finally the ends 20 of the resilient band member 16 are urgedtightly against each other to form a tight seal at the ends of the band.Thus air may not leak through the band into the container, while at thesame time the container is tightly held together by the stretching ofthe band to the closed position illustrated.

When the container reaches the intended recipient, the recipient candetermine that the container has not been opened or tampered with by thecondition of the sealing disc 33. Should the handle 27 be swung to openposition, the action of the finger 32 against the disc 33 brings about atearing or marring of the disc to indicate such opening of thecontainer.

When hot foods are placed within the container and the seal effected asdescribed by drawing the clamping members together and causing the endsof the band to be brought into sealing relation, it is found that uponthe cooling of the hot foods, a vacuum is produced within the container,which vacuum makes it difiicult to open the container sections. A quickbreaking of the vacuum and ready opening of the container sections isefiected by the use of the clamping structure shown, in that upon theraising of the handle 27, the ends of the strap 16 automatically pullapart, causing a breaking of the vacuum within the container, and thecontainer sections can then be readily separated.

v'hile in the foregoing specification l have set forth a specificstructure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating anembodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details ofstructure may be varied widely by those skilled in the art Withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the character set forth, comprising pair of hollow bodysections adapted to be secured together in sealed relation to form aheat-insulated foodreceiving compartment, said sections having outerannular ribs near their meeting surfaces, each of said ribs having aninwardly-inclined inner edge providing bc tween the sections, when thesame are together, a V-shaped recess, a resilient band having socketportions receiving said ribs and providing beads resiliently enclosingthe same and having an inner annular V-shaped bead received within the V-recess between said ribs, and clamping means secured to the ends ofsaid band and drawing said band ends into tightly abutting relation.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the ends of the band have parallelinclined surfaces,

3. In a device of the character set forth, a pair of hollow bodysections adapted to be secured together in sealed relation to form aheat-insulated food-receiving compartment, said sections having outerannular ribs near their meeting surfaces, a resilient band enclosingsaid ribs, clamp members secured upon the ends of said band andcngageable with each other to draw said band together with the endsthereof forming an airtight seal, at least one of said clamping membersbeing provided with a bottom wall adapted to receive a disc thereon, afinger spaced slightly above and terminating adjacent the bottom wallfor extending over and engaging said disc when said clamp members are inclosed position and being carried by said band in substantiallyimmovable relation with respect to said bottom wall, and a disc receivedwithin said clamping member and engaged by said finger for disfigurementthereof when said clamping member is moved to released position.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which the disc bears indicia and isformed of frangible material and is extended through a slot of saidclamping member and below the finger thereof.

5. In a device for transporting and serving prepared foods and having apair of hollow body sections providing a compartment therein and beingadapted to be removably secured together by a band enclosing the meetingedges thereof, clamp members secured upon the ends of said band andengageable with each other to draw said band together with the endsthereof forming an air tight seal, comprising a plate secured to one endof said band and equipped with a hook, a plate secured to the oppositeend of said band and equipped with a draw clamp engageable with saidhook and providing also a handle for operating said draw clamp, saidhandle memher being provided with a bottom wall adapted to receive adisc thereon, and a finger spaced slightly from and terminatingadjacent. said bottom wall and being adapted to extend over and engagean end portion of said disc when said draw clamp is in lockingengagement with said hook, said finger being carried by said secondmentioned plate and being adapted to mar the end portion when saidhandle member is moved to release the clamp.

6. The structure of claim in which a disc is received within said handleand engaged by said finger for disfigurement thereof when said drawclamp is moved to released position.

7. In a device for transporting and serving prepared foods, a pair ofhollow body sections adapted to be secured together in sealed relationto form a food-receiving compartment, each of said sections having anoutwardlyextending annular rib adjacent the meeting surface thereof,each of said ribs having an inwardly-inclined inner edge providingbetween the sections, when the same are together, a V-shaped recess, aresilient band having socket portions receiving said ribs and providedwith beads onclosing said ribs and resiliently urging the same togetherand having also an inwardly-extending annular complementary V-shapedbead receivable within the ./shaped recess between said ribs, and clampmeans for securing said band about said sections, said clamp meanscomprising hook portion carried by one end of said band, a iandle memberpivotally carried by the other end of said band, a draw clamp pivotallycarried by said handle and being adapted to engage said hook, and afinger extending laterally and into a recess provided by said handle,said handle being movable with respect to said finger and providing abottom wall terminating adjacent an end of said finger and lying in aplane slightly below said finger when said handle is in locked position,said bottom all being adapted to support a disc thereon having a freeend portion extending below said finger.

8. in a structure of the character described having a pair of hollowbody sections adapted to be brought together in sealing relation andeach of suit. sections having an outwardly-extending annular ribadjacent the meeting surfaces thereof with inwardly-inclined surfacesproviding therebetween a generally V-shaped recess, a resilient bandequipped at the ends thereof with interlocking clamp members adapted todraw said band tightly about said ribs, said band having a centralannular bead of generally V-shapc adapted to be received within saidV-shaped recess, and said band having also upper and lower beads spacedfrom said central bead for engaging said ribs and for resiliently urgingthe same together, whereby when said band is drawn tightly about saidribs, said central bead is urged into said ti-shaped recess tending tourge the body sections apart while said upper and lower beads tend tourge said body sections together with the result that said band providesa tight seal about said body sections and is operative to secure thesame together.

9. in a structure of the character described having a band equipped atthe ends thereof with clamping means adapted to secure the ends of theband together, said clamping means comprising a hook portion carried byone end of said band, a handle member pivotally carried by the other endof said band, a draw clamp pivotally carried by said handle and adaptedto engage said hook, and a finger extending laterally and into a recessprovided by said handle, said handle being movable with respect to saidfinger and providing a bottom wall terminating adjacent an end of saidfinger and lying in a plane slightly below said finger when said handleis in locking position, said bottom wall being adapted to support a discthereon having a free end portion extending below said finger, wherebyupon movement of said handle from locking to release position, saidfinger is operative to mar said disc.

10. In combination with a draw band adapted for use in sealing closed apair of hollow body sections along the contiguous meeting edges thereof,said draw band having free end portions, indicia clamping means adaptedto draw said free end portions into tight abutting relation comprising ahook carried by one of said end potrions, a handle pivotally carried bythe other of said end portions, a draw clamp pivotally mounted upon saidhandle for releaseable engagement with said hook and, when said handleis moved to closed position, to lockingly engage said hook to draw saidfree end portions into tight abutting relation, said handle beingprovided with a wall portion adapted to receive and support an indiciadisc thereon, and a finger fixedly carried by said second mentioned freeend portion and terminating, when said handle is in closed position,adjacent an end of said wall portion but spaced slightly therefrom toafford free pivotal movement of said handle and being spaced slightlyfrom the plane of said wall portion in the direction of movement of saidhandle toward open position, whereby an indicia disc placed on said wallportion, when said handle is in closed position, with an end thereofprojecting between said wall portion and finger will be disfigured byengagement with said finger when said handle is swung from closed toopen position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSBlacker Mar. 20, Dunlap June 4, Johnson Apr. 30, Fairbanks Dec. 9,Shofner Dec. 12, Hothersall July 22,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. 3,

